Multiple unit printing press



June 19, 1951 w. c. HUEBNER 2,557,381

MULTIPLE UNIT PRINTING PRESS Filed Aug; 9, 1946 13 Sheets-Sheet 1 H I 1' g i' h J 4 I we INVENTOR. WILLIFIM E. HUEBNER' 11/), Aha/:7: 275M FITTURNEYS June 19, 1951 w. c. HUEBNER MULTIPLE UNIT PRINTING PRESS 1s Sheets-sheaf 2 Filed Aug. 9, 1946 III I' 112) mmvron WILLIHM E. HUEBNER BY June 19, 1951 w, c, HUEBNER 2,557,381

MULTIPLE UNIT PRINTING PRESS Filed Aug. 9, 1946 l3 Sheets-Sheet 5 &: l I I I I l I l I I l INVENTOR.

LLIFIM III. I'ILIEENER June 19, 1951 w. c. HUEBNER 2,557,381

MULTIPLE UNIT PRINTING PRESS Filed Aug. 9, 1946 13 Sheets-Sheet 4 I I I INVENTOR. v

WILLIHM Ef-HUEBNER I BY, Y

Fl-l-Tunwsys June 19, 1951 w. c, HUEBNER 2,557,381

MULTIPLE UNIT PRINTING PRESS Filed Aug. 9, 1946 l3 Sheets-Sheet 5 :I' w v f El INVENTOR.

ILLIFIM E. HLJEENER' Fir-rcmNEy June 19, 1951 w. c. HUEBNER MULTIPLE UNIT PRINTING PRESS 15 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed Aug. 9, 1946 W. C. HUEBNER MULTIPLE UNIT PRINTING PRESS June 19, 1951 13 Sheets-Sheet 8 Filed Aug. 9, 1946 l O $3 INVENTOR.

WILL-IFIM [LHUEEINER BY W W HTTCIHN E 5 June 19, 1951 w. c. HUEBNER 2,;557,381

MULTIPLE UNIT PRINTING PRESS Filed Aug. 9, 1946 13 Sheets-Sheet 9 HTTDRNEYS W. C. HUEBNER MULTIPLE UNIT PRINTING PRESS June 19, 1951 13 Sheets-Sheet 10 Filed Aug. 9, 1946 INVENTOR. FIM II. IILIEENER' Q BY 14% WILL! *I l I I l I I I I l l l I FITTEIRNE s June 19, 1951 w. c. HUEBNER MULTIPLE UNIT PRI NTING PRESS 13 Sheets-Sheet 11 Filed Aug. 9, 1946 INVENTOR. WILLIFIM DHUEENER June 19, 1951 w. c. HUEBNER MULTIPLE UNIT PRINTING PRESS l3 Sheets-Sheet 12 Filed Aug. 9, 1946 INVENTOR. WILLIFIM BHUEENEQ HTTEIHNE June 19, 1951 W. C. HUEBNER MULTIPLE UNIT PRINTING PRESS l3 Sheets-Sheet 13 Filed Aug. 9, 1946 .HUEENER Patented June 19, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MULTIPLE UNIT PRINTING PRESS William C. Huebner, New York, N. Y.

Application August 9, 1946, Serial No. 689,490

This invention relates to a printing press and particularly to apress capable of printing or applying one or more colors to one or both sides of Web material such as paper, film, textile, metal, cardboard or any other material capable of passing through the press.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a printing press which has a wide range of utility and. can be readily set up for difierent printing runs to print various numbers of different colors on one or both sides of the print receiving material as desired.

Another object is to provide a printing press which is so constructed that one or more printing couples can be selectively incorporated into the press structure as desired, wherefore the printing press can be utilized for a variety of different printing purposes which heretofore would have required a number of presses and hence the press embodying the invention may be termed a universal press.

Another object is to provide a printing press wherein both sides of the print receiving material can be printed on simultaneously and one or more colors applied to said both sides as desired during a single run of the material through the press.

A further object is to provide a printing press which can be readily and quickly adapted for utilizing different printing methods or processes and can be quickly changed from a single color press to a multicolor press as desired.

A further object is to provide in a printing press means for mounting therein a system of cylinder carrying housings or units that can be readily moved into and out of printing relationship to provide easy accessibility to each and every cylinder and to facilitate the cleaning or the removal of each and every cylinder from the press.

Another object is to provide a printing press wherein series of printing units or elements constituting printing couples can be selectively mounted in a frame and which units or elements are relatively movable to each other to provide access to the print receiving material for various purposes as, for example, the purpose of reeving the material through the press initially or the purpose of repairing breaks in the material during the operation of the press.

A still further object is to provide a printing press comprising a frame in which a plurality of printing or inking elements or units can be mounted for adjustment relative to each other to provide accessibility and to render the press quickly changeable to different types of printing 11 Claims. 101-180) as well as for selectively printing one or more colors upon one or both sides of the web of print receiving material. 7

f A further object is to provide a printing press which includes provision for drying by the use of heat and/or light the different printing colors intermediate the various printing stations and which means can be readily moved to operative position or withdrawn from the press to an inoperative position for purposes of maintenance or for other reasons.

A further object is to provide a printing press for printing one or more colors on one or both sides of the web of print receiving material during a single run of the web through the press with the printin being performed either electronographically without pressure or in the more conventional ways involving the usual contact and pressure methods of printing and including the usual printing methods, i. e. direct or offset printmg.

A still further object is to provide a printing press of the character hereinbefore referred to wherein, in addition to the adjustment of tiers of units relative to each other, provision is made for adjusting the cylinders or elements of cooperating units relative to each other to provide the desired clearance or pressure therebetween.

Further and additional objects and advantages not hereinbefore referred to will become apparent during the detailed description of the invention which is to follow.

' Referring to the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of the press embodying the present invention with the press adapted for rotary printing a single color on both sides of the web of print receiving material during a single run of the web through the press by a single pair of printing units or couples, with the image carrying cylinders containing the ink which is expelled either by electro lines of force or by fluid pressure or both through the cylinder walls to the image areas on the exterior of the cylinder and then onto the print receiving material running in contact with the image cylinder.

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but showing vertical series of five pairs of printing units or couples mounted in the press, wherefore five colors can be printed on both sides of the web of material during a single run of the web through the press.

Fig. 3 is a side elevational view of the press adapted for direct printing of five colors on each side of the web of print receiving material, with the image carrying cylinders of the press being inked by a roller system and being dampened by moisture expelled from the interior of the cylinders and with the right hand tier of inking units shown displaced longitudinally of the press from the right hand tier of image carrying cylinders, the printing being done either electronically without pressure or conventionally with pressure. w r

Fig. 4 is a side elevational view of the press adapted for printing five colors on both sides of the web of print receiving material during a single run of the web through the press, with the printing being done by ofiset printing cylinders while the image carrying cylinders are inked by expulsion of the ink from the interior of the cylinders, either electronographically or by fluid pressure or both, with the right hand vertical tiers of image cylinders and ink carrying units moved to the righ away from the tier of offset cylinders.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4, except that the image carrying cylinders are inked by inking rollers mounted in the ink carrying units and are. dampened by moisture expelled from the interior of the image carrying cylinders.

Fig. 6 is an end elevational view of any of the 1 presses shown in Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive.

Fig. 7 is a sectional view through the press and shows the gearing for shifting the movable vertical tiers of units longitudinally of the press.

Fig. 8 (sheet 7) is an end elevational view of the press showing the vertical bank of horizontally extending drying elements withdrawn from the press to provide accessibility to the cylinders and to the drying units.

Fig. 8a (sheet 8) is a plan viewof the base of the press.

Fig. 9 (sheet 9) is a transverse vertical sectional view through a cylinder unit of the press.

Fig. 9a (sheet 8) is a fragmentary sectional view through a supporting member for a stationary tier of units.

Fig. 9b (sheet 9) is. a fragmentary elevational view of the disk and drum of Fig. 9 and showing the key for correct positioning of the drum.

Fig. 10 (sheet '7) is an end elevational view on a reduced scale looking from the left hand end of Fig. 9.

Fig. 11 (sheet 7) is a sectional view on a reduced scale taken substantially on line ll-ll of Fig. 9.

Fig. 12 (sheet 10) is a sectional view on an enlarged scale and is taken substantially on line |2l2 of Fig. 3 looking in the direction of they arrows and shows the construction of an image carrying cylinder and its cooperating web support cylinder, with electronic discharge and attraction elements located in said cylinders, respectively, and means in the image cylinder for dampening the non-image areas of said cylinder.

Fig. 12a (sheet 8) is an elevational view of, the

inner side of. either disk of the image cylinder shown in Fig. 12 and illustrates the grooves in said disks.

- Fig. 12?) (sheet 6) is an enlarged end view of a set of cooperating units forming a printing couple of the press shown in Fig. 3.

Fig. 13 (sheet 11). is a sectional view through an ink carrying unit such as is employed in the setup of the press shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 4, with the section taken substantially on irregular line I3-l3 of Fig. 14 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 14 is an end elevational View of an ink carrying unit of a printing couple of Figs. 1, 2 and 4 and of its cooperating image carrying cylinder, with the rollers of the ink carrying unit out of contact with the image carrying cylinder and the ink being forced from the interior of the image carrying cylinder to the image areas electronographically or by fluid pressure or by both, the image carrying cylinder being of the type shown in Fi 12.

Fig. 15 (sheet 13) is a wiring diagram showing.

a motor generator set common to a plurality of printing couples such as shown in Fig. 12?).

Fig. 16 (sheet 12) is. a sectional. viewthrough an ink roller unit such as shown in Figs. 3 and 5 with the section taken substantially on line l6l6 of Fig. 17.

Fig. 17 is an end elevational view of the ink roller unit shown in Fig. 16 and is taken looking from the left hand end of Fig. 16.

Fig. 18 is a view taken substantially on line |8l8 of Fig. 16 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 19 is a sectional view taken substantially on line til-I9 of Fig. 16 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 20 (sheet 11) is a, view similar to Fig. 14 but showing a gravity feed for the ink between the ink carrying unit and the image carrying,

cylinder and also showing the web of print receiving material passing around the image carrying cylinder with the clean supporting rollers of the ink carrying unit in contact with said web, i. e., the arrangement shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

Fig. 21 (sheet 13) is a sectional view taken substantially on line 2 l-2l of Fig. 20 looking in the direction of the arrows, and

Fig. 22 is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially on line 22-22 of Fig. 21 looking in the direction of the arrows.

The present invention contemplates a universal press which is so constructed that different types and different numbers of printing units and inking or ink carrying units can be selectively employed in a standardized frame, with the units of one type adjustable longitudinally of the frame relative to the units of the other type to provide accessibility for setup, maintenancev and operative purposes. In this way the press may be adapted readily and quickly for pressure printing or electronographic printing without pressure either by direct or offset printing processes, and, in addition, the press can be quickly adapted for printing one or more colors on one or both sides of the web of print receiving material during a single run of the web through, the press. In view of the varied utility of the press it may well be designated as a universal press since the single press can perform a wide variety of' different types of printing with a plurality of colors as desired on one of both sides of the web of print receiving material and thus replaces a number of conventional presses which would, be required to cover the same range of utility.

A universal press embodying the present invention would consist of the standardized frame and sets of standardized printing units of various types and standardized inking or ink and liquid carrying units which could be selectively assembled in the frame as desired and as will be pointed out. hereinafter.

The frame of the press comprises a base 30 which is of generally rectangular configuration (see Fig. 8a). The base 30 on its upper side and adjacent to its opposite ends is provided with machined surfaces 31 located adjacent to the front and rear longitudinal edges of the. base and acting as supports for four uprights 32 which are provided at their lower ends with flanged foot portions 33 bolted or otherwise rigidly secured to the machined surfaces 3|, see Fig. 6. The base 30 on its upper side is also provided adjacent its front and rear edges withlongitudinally extending parallel rails 34, which preferably terminate near the middle point of the base to providea gap in each rail for a purpose later to be explained. The rails 34 may be formed integral with the base or they may be attachedthereto as shown in Fig. 8a. The lower ends of the uprights 32 are provided with recesses which interfit the rails 34 so that the rails act as keys to locate the uprights and stabilize the same in their vertical positions and thus lend rigidity to the frame as well as facilitating the assembly of the frame. members (see Fig. 6).

1 The frame includes a top or cover structural member 35 which is rigidly secured by bolts or other suitable means to the upper ends of the uprights 32 to form with said uprights and the base a rigid frame structure. The cover member 35 is provided in its underside with longitudinally extending grooves 36 aligned with and parallel to the rails 34 of the base member for a purpose later to be explained. The framed .the press just described may be so dimensioned as to accommodate vertical tiers of three units each, for example where the maximum number of colors that are to be printed by the press is known to be three, see Fig. 1, or the frame may be so dimensioned as to accommodate a different number of units in the vertical tiers of units, as for example, five units in each vertical tier as shown in Fig. 2 or to accommodate a still greater number if desired. In most instances the frame of the press would be as shown in Fig.2, so that the press would have a maximumcolor capacity of five colors to cover the usual number of colors required in multicolor printing. However, seven color printing consisting, for instance, of red, yellow, blue, green, purple, white and black might be desired, and it will be understood that then .the frame would be dimensioned to accommodate seven units in the vertical tiers.

It will be noted that the base 30 and the cover member 35 can be standardized for presses capable of printing any number of different colors, while the uprights 32 can be manufactured in sets of such length as required for printing three, five, seven or any other number of colors and can be assembled into the frame structure with the base 30 and the cover member 35 as desired by a customer.

' Intermediate the uprights 32 and mounted on the ends of the rails 34 adjacent the intermediate gaps in said rails at the front and rear of the base are a pair of stationary tier supporting members 31 which are provided in their undersides with recesses interfitting the'rails 34 and bolted rigidly to the base, see Fig. 9a. The upper surface of each member 3'l is provided with a longitudinally extending key 33. A plurality of identical drum housing units 39, see Fig. 9, is mounted on the supporting members 31 intermediate said members and the cover 35. In Fig. '1 two stationary vertical tiers of three such units are shown, while in Figs. 2, 3, 4 and 5 the two stationary vertical tiers of these units include, for purposes of illustration, five units each. Each unit 39 extends transversely of the base and is provided on its underside with keyways 45 and on its upper side with keys' ll (see Fig. 9). The keyways 43 of the lowermost unit 39 of each stationary vertical tier of units interfit the keys 38 'of the supporting members 37. The keys 4l of the top unit 39 of each stationary vertical tier of units interfit the grooves 36 in the cover member 35 while intermediate the supporting members 3'! and the cover member 35 the'adjacent keys 4i and keyways 46 of the units 39 interfit each other. The units 39 are rigidly connected together and *to the supporting members 3'l and the cover 35 by suitable securing means such as the bolts 42 shown in Figs. 9 and 9a. It will thus be seen that the vertical stationary tiers of the units 39 in efiect constitute rigid vertical frame members intermediate the uprights 32. Each stationary tier of drum or cylinder housing units 33 will hereinafter be designated in its entirety as tier A.

In addition to the stationary tiers A the press will contain adjustable vertical tiers of cylinders or roller supporting units, similar to the units 39 and adjustable vertical tiers of inking or ink and liquid carrying units which later will be described.

The ink or ink and liquid carrying units 43a are shown in Figs. 1 and 2 as adjacent to the units 39, while in Figs. 3, 4 and 5 the ink or ink and liquid carrying units 43 and 43a are shown as separated from the units 39 by adjustable vertical tiers of cylinder supporting units. The longitudinally adjustable vertical tiers of units 43 or 43a will hereinafter be referred to in their entirety as tiers of units B. The tiers of units 43 or 43a and the adjustable tiers of cylinder supporting units are secured to movable supporting members 44 similar to the supporting members 3'! for the stationary tiers A except that said members 44 are provided on their undersides with longitudinally extending grooves in which are mounted rollers 45 that ride on the rails 34. The units of the movable tiers are secured to the members 44 and to each other, with the key 4| of the uppermost unit of each tier extending into and movable in the grooves 36 of the cover 35. Therefore each movable vertical tier of units can move longitudinally of the frame of the press for purposes later to be explained.

Referring to Fig. 3 it will be noted that intermediate the stationary tiers A and the adjustable tiers B are longitudinally adjustable vertical tiers of drum or cylinder housing or supporting units 39, the lowermost of which are secured to movable supporting members 44 While the uppermost of which have their keys 4| slidably guided by the grooves 36 of the cover member 35 as already described. The adjustable vertical tiers of units 39 shown in Fig. 3 will be designated hereinafter in their entireties as tiers C.

In Figs. 4 and 5 second adjustable vertical tiers of units 33 are located intermediate tiers A and C and said second adjustable tiers will hereinafter be designated in their entirety as tiers D.

A shaft 46 is rotatably supported by each pair of supporting members 44 of each adjustable tier B, C or D, while the uppermost units of each of said adjustable vertical tiers rotatably support shafts 41 (see Fig. 7). The shafts 43 and 41 have fixed thereto pinions 48 which mesh with elongated racks 43 carried by the upper 'side of the base 30 and the underside of the cover 35 and extending parallel to the rails 34, wherefore it will be seen that when the shafts 46 and 4! are rotated with an equalized rotation the adjustable vertical tiers B, C and D can be moved longitudinally of the frame without defleeting the tiers from a true vertical position.

The shafts 45 have one end thereof extended beyond the rear side of the press and such extended end is provided with a bevel gear 50 fixed to the shaft while a crank handle 5| may be applied to a portion of the shaft at the front side of the press. Certain of the units 39 of the tiers C and D and certain of the units 43 or 43a of the tiers B are provided with brackets 52 which rotatably mount vertically extending shafts 53 carrying at their lower ends bevel gears 54 meshing with the bevel gears 50 on the shafts 46 and at their upper ends bevel gears 55- meshing with bevel gears 56 on the shafts 41. In this. way each tier B, C and D can be longitudinally moved in the frame relative to the other tiers B, C and D and to the stationary tiers A.

In Figs. 1 and 2 adjustable tiers B are shown as located closely adjacent to stationary tier-s A and in the positions they occupy during the operation of the press.

In Fig. 3 the tiers C are closely adjacent and in operative position with respect to, the Stationary tiers A, while the left hand tier B is closely adjacent to and in operative position with respect to the left hand tier C. However, the right hand tier B is shown as having been moved away from the right hand tier C and adjacent the right hand upright 32 for a purpose later to. be explained.

In Figs. 4 and 5 the left hand tiers A, B, C and D are shown as located closely adjacent to each other and in operative relationship, while the right hand tiers B and C are shown as moved toward the right and spaced from the right hand tier D for a purpose later to be explained.

In order to secure the adjustable tiers B, C and D in adjusted operative position the. supporting members 44 and the uppermost unit of each tier may be locked to the base 39 and the cover 35 by any suitable means as, for example, by means of tapered dowel pins 5.1 insertable through aligned openings in the supporting members 44 and the uppermost units and the base 30 and cover 35, see Fig. 9.

In Figs. 1 and 2 the press is shown as adapted for simultaneously printing on both sides of. the web of print receiving material during a single run of the material through the press. In Fig. 1 a single color is printed on both sides of the web of material while in Fig. 2 five colors may be printed on both sides of the web of material.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive, the lowermost unit 39 of each tier A, C and D mounts a drum or cylinder of a selected type and later to be described in detail. Each unit 39 comprises rotatable spaced apart drum supporting disks. 59 and 60 (see Fig. 9). The disk 59 is rotatably supported for adjustment in an eccentric bushing at that can be locked in various adjusted positions. The bushing 61 is mounted in an eccentric sleeve 62 which carries a key 63 that extends into a keyway 64 in the bushing, wherefore the bushing together with the bearing for the disk 59 which rotates in the bushing can have endwise movement relative to the sleeve. The bushing 6| is externally threaded and supports a gear nut 65 located between the flangeof the sleeve 62 and a retainer plate 66 rigidly secured to said flange. A pinion B1 meshes with the teeth of the nut 95 and is fixed to a shaft 68 that is rotatably supported by the flange. of the sleeve and by the plate 66 and has its outer end formed with a portion to which a removable operating handle 69 can be attached. It will. thus be seen that when the pinion 61 is rotated by the handle 69 the nut 65 will be turned; to cause the bushing 6| to slide axially inwardly or outwardly, depending upon the direction of rotation of the handle 69.

The disk to has its bearing mounted in an cc.- centric bearing sleeve but said bearing of the disk is held against axial displacement. A sleeve 1| is fixed to a reduced portion of; the bearing of the disk 69 between the bearing and the eccentric bearing sleeve 10 and is provided with. a shoulder engaging the outer side. of the, bearing sleeve.

The sleeve 11 has formed thereon a gear 12 which will later be referred to. Each disk 59 and 69 on its inner face has secured to it a supporting plate 13 which is provided at its circumference with a circular shoulder mounting in some instances a spacing ring 14. The supporting plates 13 are adapted to support various types of drums or cylinders which have their opposite ends bearing upon the rings 14 or upon the. circular shoulders of the plates 13 as the case may be when the disks 59 and 60. are positioned apart at the proper distance.

The disk 59 is provided centrally with a recess facing toward the disk 69 and mounting a bear ing 15 adapted to. support a stationary tube 16 which extends through central openings in the plates 13 with a substantial clearance being provided between the tube and the plates. The tube 16 extends slightly into a central bore in the disk 60 and is detachably connected by a tongue and groove connection with a fixed tube 11 stationarily mounted in the bore of the rotatable disk 56 and extending through the bearing thereof and into a supporting boss formed in the wall of the unit 39.

Assumin that the disks 59 and 60 are positioned in drum supporting relationship and thata drum or cylinder is mounted on the circular shoulders of the plates 13 or on the rings 14, and also assuming that the tube 16 is in position as shown in Fig. 9 and is connected to the tube 11;, it will be seen that rotation of the disk 60 will cause the drum or cylinder and the disk 59 to rotate while the tubes 16 and 11 are stationary. Now assuming that it is desired to remove the cylinder or drum. the operator applies the handle 69 to the outer end of the shaft 68 and rotates said shaft to cause the bushing 6| and the disk 59 to. move outwardly as has been previously explained and away from the disk 60, with the result. that the circular shoulders on the plates 13 are spaced apart a greater distance than the length of the cylinder or drum, it being understood that the disk 59 can move outwardly until it contacts the wall of the unit 39. The outward movement of the disk 59 also causes separation of the left hand end of the tube 16 from the bearing 15, thus both the drum and the tube 16 will be freed for removal from the unit. When it is desired to insert a drum or cylinder in the unit as forinstance, another type of drum or cylinder, the drum or cylinder with the tube 16 therein is inserted into the unit with the right hand end of the drum, as viewed in Fig. 9 resting upon the shoulder of the right hand plate 13 or upon the ring 14 and with a rod passing through a central opening 18 in the disk 59 holding the tube 16 in properly aligned position with the tube 11 and with the bearing 15 of the disk 59. The cylinder or drum which may be of plain metal type as shown in Fig. 9 is positioned so that a notch 19 in its right hand end aligns with and receives a key 86 carried by the disk 50. The operator then turns the handle 69 to cause the disk 59 to move inwardly toward the disk 60 until the cylinder or drum is tightly clamped on the circular shoulders of the plates 13 or the rings 14 and the left hand end of the tube 16 is in the bearing 15. The structure above described relating to the relative movement of the disks 59 and 60 to clamp the cylinder or drum therebetween or to spread the. same. to enable the cylinder or drum to be removed is claimed in my divisional application, Serial No. 109,306, filed August 9, 1949. An alternative way of mounting a drum or cylinder in position is to remove the plates 13 and asemble the cylinder on the shoulders of the plates and then insert the tube 19 through the central openings of the plates. This assembly can then be mounted at one end on the disk 69 while its other end is supported by a tool in the opening 18 and having a squared end engaging the square socket in the end of the tube 16. The tube 79 is thus centered and can be rotated to engage the tongue and'groove connection between it and the tube 11. The disk 59 can then be moved into supporting relationship with its .cooperating plate 13.

It will be recalled that the bearing for the disk 59 is supported in a bushing which in turn is supported in the adjustable sleeve 62 while the bearing for the disk 69 is supported-in the adjustable eccentric sleeve 19. Therefore said sleeves 62 and 19 can be rotated to shift the axes of the disks and the axis of the cylinder or drum carried by the disks to adjust slightly the cylinder or drum of a unit of one tier relative to the cylinder or drum of the unit of another tier to provide the desired contact pressure or spacing between the cylinders or drums.

After the disks have been adjusted the eccentric sleeves are clamped in adjusted position by means of suitable clamping screws 62a and 19a. In connection with the adjustment of the axes of the disks 59 and 69 it will be understood that clearance exists between the disk 60 and its bearing and the fixed tube 11 so that the shifting of the disk 99 and its attached gear 12 can take place with a slight misalignment of the station ary tube 71.

The gear 12 of each unit is driven in the manner now to be explained. A motor base 8| extends laterally from one longitudinal side of the main base 3 and adjacent an end thereof, see Figs. 8 and 8a, and supports a motor 82 which drives a shaft 83 by any suitable operative connection such as a pulley and belt connection. The shaft 83 extends longitudinally of the frame and passes through a housing and gear guard 84 of the units 39 or 43 or 43a of each vertical tier of units. The shaft 83 is rotatably mounted in suitable brackets carried by the frame of the press but is held against endwise movement. Within the housing portion of the housing and gear guard 84 a spiral gear pinion 85 is splined to the shaft 83 to rotate therewith and move endwise thereof, wherefore each tier of units can be adjusted longitudinally of the frame. The cylinders or drums of the tiers A, C, and D are driven from the shaft 83, as indicated in Fig. 9, wherein a spiral gear 86 in mesh with the pinion 85 is fixed to a shaft 81 that is rotatably supported in the housing portion 84 and in the lowermost unit. The shaft 8] has fixed to its inner end a gear 88 which meshes with the gear 72 previously referred to. The gear 12 of the unit 39 above the lowermost unit 39 is driven from the gear 12 of said lowermost unit by means of an idler gear 89 which is mounted on a flanged bearing shaft 99 which can be adjusted and clamped in adjusted position by a screw or screws 9| which extend through openings in the flange of the shaft of larger diameter than the screws, Wherefore the gear 89 can be adjusted in any direction. This provides for maintaining the proper intermeshing relation between the gears 89 and the gears 12 when the axes of the drums or cylinders on one tier are adjusted relative to the axes of the drums or cylinders of another tier as previously explained. It will be understood that the gears 12 of all the units 39 in most unit by means of adjustably interposed idler gears 89.

The cylinders or drums of the units 39 may take various forms as will presently become apparent. 7

Fig. 12 is a sectional view through a cylinder of tier A and a cooperating cylinder of tier C of Fig. 3. The cylinders of tier A are, in this instance, simply web supporting cylinders and comprise suitable metal or other cylinders 92 carried by the plates 73 as described in connection with Fig. 9. The cylinders or drums 93 of tier C are formed of any suitable porous material through which moisture can pass.

In Fig. 3 the cylinders 93 are provided on their exteriors with image portions that are impervious to the passage of moisture therethrough and with non-image portions that are pervious to the passage of moisture. In this arrangement the cylinders 93 have their image areas inked by inking rollers carried by the units 43 of tier B. In addition, the non-image areas of the cylinders 93 are moistened or dampened by means of water or other liquid that is expelled from the interior of the cylinders through the pores thereof thus making said non-image areas ink repellent. Reference to Fig. 12 will show that the cylinder 93 surrounds a cylinder Hand is slightly spaced therefrom with both cylinders supported on the circular shoulders of the plates l3. The cylinder 94 is provided with a plurality of parallel spiral grooves 95 each of which connects with a radial groove formed in the inner faces of the disks 59 and 69 and connecting in turn with radial grooves 96 formed in said disks (see Fig. 12a) and extending to a circular passageway in communication with the interior of the stationary tube 76 on one side of the partition 9! that divides said tube into two compartments. The compartment in the tube 16 just referred to is connected to a pipe 98 which in turn is connected to a flexible hose 99, see Fig. 12b that extends to a tank I mounted in the adjacent unit 43 of tier B, it being understood that the hose 99 is of sufficient length to allow for maximum separation of the tiers B. and C.

In the instance shown in Fig. 12b the tank I09 is under fluid pressure and preferably the tank carries a gauge I9I to indicate such pressure. The liquid in the tank I09 is thus forced from the tank through the hose 99, pipe 98 and into the compartment of the tube 16 and thence to the spiral grooves '95. The connection between the liquid compartment of the tube 16 and the pipe 98 is by means of a detachable coupling which can be quickly disconnected or connected when the tube is removed from the cylinder or is mounted in the cylinder. It will be seen that rotation of the cylinder 93 when the liquid is in the spiral grooves under pressure will cause the liquid to work along the entire longitudinal length of the circumference of the cylinder 94 and such that it will moisten or dampen the entire inner surface of the drum 93 and will pass through the pores of the drum in the pervious non-image areas to dampen said non-image areas so that said areas will not be inked by the inking rolls I92 of the units 43 of the tier B.

In the example shown in Figs. 3 and 12 it is proposed to transfer the ink from the inked image areas of the cylinder 93 to the web W of print receiving material passing between the cylinders 92 and 93 by means of electrostatic lines of force and without pressure as clearly explained in my The tubes 16 in the cylinders 92 and 93 carry rubber insulating tubes I03 and the supports I04 for the discharge element I05 and the attraction element I06 are clamped about the rubber tubes I03. The discharge element is located within the cylinder 84 while the attraction element is located within the cylinder 32 and said elements extend substantially the longitudinal length of the cylinders and have their free edges adjacent the inner circumference of the cylinders. The element I05 is connected to an electric lead I01 which extends through the compartment of the tube 16 that is separated from the liquid compartment by the partition 91 and is connected by a detachable'electric coupling to a lead I08 in the tube TI. The lead I08 is connected by a flexible cable I99 to a rheostat I I which in turn is electrically connected to one terminal of a motor generator unit III, said rheostat and said motor generator unit being carried by the adjacent unit 43 of tier B. The element I06 in cylinder 92 is connected to an electrical lead [I2 which extends through the tube 16 and is electrically connected by means of a detachable coupling with a lead I I3 which in turn is connected by a flexible lead II4 to the other terminal of the motor generator unit III. It will be seen that when the motor generator unit is operating, high potential current will be supplied to the electric circuit including the elements I and I06, with the result that electrostatic lines of force will bridge the gap between the adjacent free edges of said elements passing through the cylinders 94, 93 and 92 and acting to carry the ink on the image areas of the cylinder 93 from said areas to the web of print receiving material to thus reproduce the image on said material.

As already stated, each unit 43 mounts inking rolls I02 which are in contact with drivin rollers II5 (see Fig. 19). The rollers II5 are mounted by the unit 43 for rotation and also for axial reciprocation so that the ink will be uniformly distributed on the inking rolls I02. The driving rolls II5 are driven in the following manner:

The shaft 83 which extends through the housing 84 of the lowermost units of the tiers of units carries a spiral gear IIB within the housing 84 of the lowermost unit 43 and said gear meshes with a spiral gear II'I formed on a sleeve rotatably mounted in the housing 84 and which sleeve also carries a gear H8 which meshes with an elongated pinion II9 fixed to a rotatable shaft I 20 that is mounted in the end walls of the unit 43 intermediate the axes of the rolls I I5. The shaft I20 on its end opposite to that which carries the pinion II9 has fixed thereto a cam I2I later to i' be referred to. The rolls II5 are carried by shafts I22 rotatably mounted in the end walls of the unit 43 and projecting outwardly of said rolls. The shafts I22 have fixed thereto gears I23 which mesh with the elongated pinion H9, wherefore the shafts I22 and rolls II5 are rotatably driven from the shaft 83. The shafts I 22 on their opposite ends have fixed thereto follower disks I24 which engage in the cam groove of the cam I2I and hence it will be seen that said cam I2I as it rotates will act through the followers I24 to oscillate axially the shafts I22 and rollers I I5. The driving rollers II5 are also in contact with idler rolls I25, which latter rolls in turn contact a smaller driving roll I26 mounted on a shaft I21 that can rotate and axially reciprocate and carries on one end a gear I28 meshing with the pinion I I9 and on its opposite end a follower disk I29 that rides in the cam groove of the cam I2I. The smaller driving roll I26 runs in contact with an idler roll I30 which in turn runs in contact- With the circumference of a reservoir drum I3I constructed of porous material. The drum I3I includes end members I 32 which are rotatable on a fixed hollow shaft I33, suitable packing I34 bein interposed between the end members I32 and the shaft I33. The shaft I33 is held against axial shifting in the walls of the unit 43 by means of collars I35 fixed to the shaft and engaging the inner sides of the walls of the unit. The hollow shaft I33 is provided with a plurality of openings I36 and the interior of said shaft is connected to a suitable ink supply source by a conduit I31. It will be seen that ink flowing from the hollow shaft I 33 and into the drum I3I will pass through the pores of said drum and onto the idler roll I30 from whence it will go to the reciprocating driving roll I26 to the idler rolls I25 to the reciprocating driving rolls H5 and thence to the inking rolls I02 from where it will be transmitted to the image portions of the image cylinder 92. It will be understood that the ink supplied to the hollow shaft I33 is under pressure to facilitate the flow of ink and the passage of the same through the pores of the drum I3I and a suitable pressure gauge I3'Ia can be provided to indicate to the operator the pressure that is acting on the ink. All of the units 43 in the tiers B will be equipped with similar inking rolls and said rolls will be driven by means of a gear I38 which meshes with the pinion H9 and drives in turn a gear I39 that extends beyond the upper edge of the lowermost unit 43 and is in mesh with a gear similar to the gear II8 carried by the next unit. In this way all of the inking rolls and driving rolls of the units 43 of the tiers B can be driven from the shaft 83.

Reference should now be made to Figs. 1, 2, 13 and 14. In Figs. 1 and 2 the ink is expelled from interiorly of the cylinder or cylinders in tier A and is transferred from the image areas of the cylinder to the web of print receiving material which runs in contact with the cylinder. In this arrangement the cylinder or cylinders in tiers A are similar in construction to the cylinder 93 of Fig. 12 previously described, except that the cylinder or cylinders of Figs. 1 and 2 are provided with image areas that are pervious to the ink and non-image areas which are impervious thereto, it being recalled that the reverse arrangement is used in the cylinder 93 of Fig. 12 for the purpose of dampening the non-image areas of the cylinder. The cylinder or cylinders of tiers A of Figs. 1 and 2 have been designated previously herein with the numeral 58 but it will be understood that said cylinders are similar to the cylinders 93 of tiers C of Fig. 3 as already explained.

Referring to Fig. 14, it will be noted that the liquid compartment of the fixed tube I6 of each cylinder 58 is connected by a flexible hose I40 to a fixed ink tank or reservoir I4I mounted in the adjacent unit 43a, see Figs. 13 and 14. The tank or reservoir MI is subject to fluid pressure andis provided with a suitable pressure gauge I4Ia, wherefore the ink will be forced from the tank or reservoir at a predetermined pressure through the hose I40 and into the spiral grooves 95 of the cylinder 58 in the same manner as the moisture was forced into said grooves in cylinder 93, as previously explained. The unit 43a is provided with a motor generator unit III, as previously explained, with one terminal thereof connected to a rheostat IIO which in turn is electrically connected by a flexible lead I42 to an electrostatic discharge element I43 located within. the cylinder 58. The other terminal of the motor generator unit III is connected by a lead I44 to an electrostatic element I45 carried by the unit 43a and aligned with the element I43 with said elements located on opposite sides of the web W which passes around the cylinder 58. It will be seen that the ink in the spiral grooves 95 of the cylinder 58 will be dispersed over the interior of the porous cylinder and said ink will be carried by the electrostatic lines of force between the elements I43 and I45 through the pores of the image areas of the cylinder 58 and onto the web W of print receiving material to reproduce thereon the desired image.

In the unit 43a the support for the element I45 is on a fixed bar I46 mounted in the unit in place of the shaft I20 of the unit 43 of Figs. 16 to 18 inclusive.

Figs. 20, 21 and 22 show an arrangement similar to that shown in Fig. 14 except that a somewhat different arrangement for inking the image areas of the cylinder 58 is illustrated. In Figs. 20, 21 and 22 the tube I6 is connected to the ink reservoir MI in the same manner as in Fig. 14 except that the reservoir MI is not subject to fluid pressure.

In Figs. 20 to 22 inclusive the interior of the ink compartment of the tube I6 of the cylinder 58 is connected by a plurality of pipes I41 with an open ink containing trough I46 mounted on suitable supports carried by the tube "I5. It will be seen that the ink in the reservoir I4I will flow by gravity into the trough I48 until the level of the ink in the trough corresponds to the level of the ink in the reservoir. The tube I6 also carries standards I49 which at their free ends rotatably support a shaft I56 which carries an ink roller II that rolls in contact with the interior of the cylinder 58. Hence it will be noted that in this form the use of the inner cylinder 94 within the cylinder 58 is dispensed with and also the em ployment of the spiral grooves 95 is likewise not required, it being understood that the roller I5I rotating in the ink applies the ink to the interior of the cylinder 58 to be carried by the electrostatic lines of force through the porous image areas of the cylinder.

It will further be understood that a like arrangement could be employed in connection with the arrangement shown in Fig. 12 for the purpose of dampening the interior of the cylinder 93 so as to have the moisture carried through the porous non-image areas of the cylinder. The image areas will be dry and hence compatible to receiving the ink While the non-image areas being moistened are ink repellent.

In the arrangement shown in Fig. 4 the cylinders of tiers C are image cylinders similar to the cylinders 58 of Figs. 14 and 20 and in such an arrangement the ink can be expelled from interiorly of the cylinders to the surface thereof through the pervious image portions by electrostatic lines of force as previously described, it being preferable in this latter instance to employ a current of low voltage for producing the electrostatic field of force since the ink merely has to be brought to the exterior surface of the cylinders. It will be understood that the inked image areas of the cylinders of tiers C of Fig. 4 then reproduce the image to be printed on the rubber blanket or oilset cylinders of tiers D which latter in turn print the image on the web W which extends around the cylinders on the supporting tiers A. It will also be understood that the rollers I02 in Fig. 20 are spaced from the drum 56 and that the web 14 W in both Figs. 14 and 20 does not surround the image drum 58 in tiers C of Fig. 4.

Heretofore each unit 43 or 43a has been described as equipped individually with a motor generator unit. It will be understood that an arrangement can be employed if desired wherein a single motor generator unit will function for more than one unit 43 or 4301. and such single motor generator unit may be of larger capacity than the individual motor generator units and can be located in a suitable position behind the machine.

In Fig. 15 there is diagrammatically illustrated an arrangement for a single motor generator unit which provides the current for a plurality of electrostatic fields of force. This motor generator unit is indicated at I52 and one terminal thereof is connected by a common lead I53 to a plurality of branch leads I54 each extending to a rheostat I55. Each rheostat I55 is electrically connected in turn to a discharge element I56. The other terminal of the motor generator unit I52 is connected to a common lead I51 which in turn is connected to a plurality of branch leads I58, each of which extends to an electrostatic attraction element I59. It will thus be seen that the motor generator unit I52 provides current for a plurality of sets of electrostatic discharge and attraction elements and the current for each set of elements can be individually regulated by its respective rheostat I55.

Reference has been made to the arrangement shown in Fig. 4 wherein the ink is expelled from interior-1y of the image cylinders of tiers C to the image areas thereof and units 43a are employed in conjunction with said image cylinders.

Referring to Fig. 5, it will be noted that the image cylinders of tiers C are inked by the inking rolls of the units 43, as previously explained, in connection with the inking of cylinders 92 in Figs. 16 to 19 inclusive, or the inking of cylinders 93 of tiers C as explained in reference to Fig. 12b. In the latter instance it will be recalled that the non-image areas of cylinders 93 are dampened by the expulsion of moisture from within the cylinders as explained in connection with Fig. 12 and Fig. 12b.

In Fig. 5 the image cylinders of tiers C impress the inked images on the rubber blanket or offset cylinders of tiers D and the latter in turn print the images on the web W carried by the supporting cylinders of tiers A as explained in connection with Fig. 4.

Referring to Fig. 80., it will be seen that the base 36 intermediate its ends and on one side thereof has secured to it a laterally extending base portion I60. The base portion I60 has secured to its upper side parallel rails I 5| which extend over the base 30 and are secured thereto intermediate the gaps in the rails 34 of the base 36.

Referring to Figs. 8 and 8a. the rails IEI of the base portion I66 support the horizontal leg I52 of a substantially L-shaped supporting member I63, suitable rollers I 64 being interposed between the rails I6I and the underside of the leg I62 of said supporting member to facilitate the movement of the member along the rails. The supporting member I63 is provided with a plurality of vertically spaced parallel inclined heating and/or light element supports I65 mounting one or more heating or drying elements I66 which may take various forms but are indicated herein as constituting elongated tubular heating or lighting elements (see Figs 1 to 5). The elements I66 can be connected to any suitable source of heat or 

